Unfortunately, this topic is near and dear to my heart - I'm dating my ex's friend (well…ex-friend now LOL). And yes, he is ALWAYS around, whether it’s at friend outings or just running into him at the local Walmart…SOS!

Seeing your ex can suck MAJOR, but if you can't avoid an interaction here are some ways of handling it:

Emotional? Try your best to stay calm around your friends and/or new S.O.

No matter how long it's been, seeing your ex for the first time since a breakup can be super difficult. You're going to be emotional. Even if things are million times better than they were when you were with them, you can still get a small form of PTSD; seeing them could bring back all of those bad (maybe even good) memories. But it's OK to feel that way - you just need to try and stay calm. (It might even be a good idea to bring some CBD with you if you know you may run into your ex!) The most important thing is to try not to overreact ESPECIALLY if you're with your (new) boyfriend, because you don't want them to see you distraught over seeing your ex; they may take it the wrong way. Even if you have no feelings for them, your S/O may take how you're feeling very personal.

Avoid interaction, eye contact, pretty much anything!

This can obviously be super tricky depending on the setting and where you're seeing them. If it's a large group of people then you're in the clear- you can easily move away if you happen to get near them. It's also important to note that regardless of the setting, you have no reason to go up to them. If they hurt you, you owe them nothing. Most importantly, you should be conscious of who you're with and show your loyalty to your partner. You could potentially hurt their feelings if you decide to walk up to your ex and start a conversation with them, especially if it was avoidable. If it's a smaller setting, you could potentially be obligated to go up to them so that there's no tension in the room. And no, you shouldn't go up and have a full conversation with them. It's more about just saying, "hi" and acknowledging them.

Don't change your attitude

It's important to hold your ground when you see your ex. If you truly don't care about them anymore then this should be easy. But if you still feel some type of way it's important not to make a scene or try to do something stupid like try to get their attention. Odds are, you'll look even worse than you think. The "laughing" or trying major PDA with someone else while they're standing near you won't make them come over any more.

Just be yourself and remember that you have your loved ones around you - there's a reason you're not there with them. That is truly the most important thing - remembering you're better off without them, even if the breakup flipped your whole world upside down. Not everything's going to work out like you think it is. But everything's meant to be.